Flathead considers Cooper Farms plan
The Daily Inter Lake
A variety of issues come before the Flathead County Planning Board tonight, including a 362-acre neighborhood plan near Somers, three subdivision proposals and a 306-acre zone change.
If approved, the Cooper Farms Neighborhood Plan would change the land-use designation from agricultural to urban residential for property near the northeast intersection of U.S. 93 and Montana 82.
The proposal presents a planned community concept, with four residential areas involving 236 acres surrounded by 107 acres of preserved wetland.
A series of pedestrian paths would run through the development. There would also be a 19-acre neighborhood commercial area along the Montana 82 frontage.
The Flathead County Planning Office report on Cooper Farms indicates that landscaping and buffering would be used to break up the rooftops and effectively shield the development from view.
The project would be connected to the Lakeside sewer system.
The plan calls for an average residential density of 2-4 units per acre, with some areas intended for larger-lot subdivisions and other areas available for multi-unit housing.
If everything were built to the maximum density, Cooper Farms would provide room for almost 1,000 homes. However, the neighborhood plan indicates that about 800 homes would be built, while the planning staff report suggests it would be closer to 700 units.
By comparison, the 2000 Census found 263 housing units in the entire Somers area, with a total population of 556.
Other items on tonight's Planning Board agenda include:
-The preliminary plat for Mountain View Timbers, a 23-lot single-family subdivision on 38 acres at 973 Mooring Road, east of Montana 206.
Lots in the project would range from 0.7 acres to 1.5 acres in size, with 16.5 acres of open space. The lots would be served by a community water system and individual septics.
-The preliminary plat for Columbia Mountain View Lots, Unit 3, a three-lot single-family subdivision on three acres, with a 37-acre remainder, off Helena Flats Road.
-A zone change from 20- and 40-acre agricultural zoning to 5-acre suburban agricultural zoning for 306 acres at 275, 311, 315 and 455 Coverdell Road, north of Bigfork.
The planning staff report on this request indicates that "the applicants feel a change to [smaller lot] zoning would be consistent with similar zone changes in the surrounding area, and with the expansion of the Bigfork sewer district to Coverdell Road."
The staff report indicates that the zone change, if approved, could result in 49 additional lots in the area. However, that could be increased by 50 percent or 100 percent, respectively, with a cluster subdivision or planned-unit-development proposal.
-The preliminary plat for Antler Bluff Estates, an 11-lot single-family subdivision on 15 acres at 110 Hellman Lane and 3380 Columbia Falls Stage Road.
All lots would have individual septic systems and water wells.
Today's Planning Board meeting begins at 6 p.m. in the second-floor conference room of the Earl Bennett Building.